Ogita Austin: Thank you so much for meeting me here, Dr. Kamamia. I am Ogita Austin, and I'm coming from A15 Productions, which is a company that's producing this documentary for the University of Nairobi, the pharmacy school, for achieving fifty years — it's a monumental thing. So we want to commemorate it with videos of the people who've been involved and important persons to the pharmacy profession. So I'd like to start with asking you to kindly introduce yourself — who you are, and where you studied.
Dr. Edward Kamamia: First of all, Austin, I'm honored to have been requested by the University of Nairobi School of Pharmacy to appear in this documentary. I think they did that because we have a long history with them. About myself: My name is Dr. Edward Karuki Kamamia. I am a pharmacist by profession. I was born in Nyeri, somewhere very near Karatina. So I'm a Kenyan — by birth and by reincarnation.
Ogita Austin: So where did you train for your pharmacy profession, and when?
Dr. Kamamia: My history is a bit interesting because I'm an Indian cultural scholar. I studied in India on an Indian cultural scholarship at the University of Nagpur, which is in Central India. Then I came back to Kenya and did my internship at Kenyatta National Hospital. In fact, I was with Professor Guantai — the dean. We did the internship together. I finished my B.Pharm when the first graduates of University of Nairobi came out — they graduated in '78, and I graduated in '79. So when they were finishing the internship, I was joining the program at Kenyatta Hospital as an intern, and I was employed by the Ministry of Health.
Ogita Austin: That's nice. So that was your undergraduate?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes, that was my undergraduate. The others followed. After that, I was posted to PGH Machakos Hospital as a district pharmacist. I was there during the coup — the one to remove President Moi. I had traveled from Nairobi that morning, but I had already left early, so I arrived before the chaos began. In 1992, I applied for a Commonwealth scholarship — 60 people applied and only 12 were selected. I got one and went to the University of Bombay in Goa to do my Master’s in Pharmacy. I came back in 1994 and became the Chief Pharmacist at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Dr. Kamamia: Later on, while I was at Kenyatta Hospital, I offered my services to the University of Nairobi as a lecturer. I taught final-year pharmacy students in pharmaceutics, the same subject I did for my master’s. That was in 1995 and 1996. In 1997, I was transferred to Embu as a provincial pharmacist — that ended part one of my teaching career.
Ogita Austin: Kindly, you've told us you didn’t study in Kenya — you studied in India for both your undergraduate and graduate studies. What memories stand out from studying abroad?
Dr. Kamamia: Let me tell you, Austin — going to India from Kenya was like going to another planet. Everything was completely different. Sunday there is a working day. The calendar is different. The religion, the culture, the language — all different. We had to communicate using sign language before we learned Hindi. I can still communicate with my hands and eyes without talking. I was 21, very adventurous — traveled all over India, even to Kashmir and Nepal. And I came home a few times. I sailed back by sea on the SS Karanja — a 14-day journey across the ocean. We were a group of students and had a continuous party for the whole journey.
Ogita Austin: Interesting. After graduation, you came back, did your internship, and got registered?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes. I was registered as pharmacist number 700 — right after the first class from University of Nairobi, who went up to 699. I interacted with many of them — like Dr. Evans Kidero, Jennifer Orua, Elizabeth Ogaja. We did a lot together, even dancing! Also with professors like Maitai — very dedicated, serious professors who mentored many.
Ogita Austin: So you've worked in several spaces — can you highlight influential roles, especially your time as Chief Pharmacist?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes. After being provincial pharmacist, I was on the drug procurement board (now KEMSA). Then I became Deputy Director of Medical Services, then Chief Pharmacist.One of my biggest achievements was enacting the National Drugs Policy — the first pharmaceutical sector policy in Kenya (1994). I also drafted the Psychotropic Substances Act (1992–93) to control narcotics. Another key work was updating the Essential Drugs List — listing the drugs government hospitals must always stock.
Ogita Austin: That's impressive. Any other notable roles after your time in government?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes. I worked for the UN as a National Project Manager for a 13-country project on controlling precursor chemicals — used to make narcotics. My job was to help draft laws to control importation and misuse, especially for dangerous substances like fentanyl. After that, I ventured into retail pharmacy — business has always been close to my heart. Later, I was invited by Mount Kenya University to start their School of Pharmacy — I was the founding dean. While there, they also gave me a scholarship to do a PhD. So I’ve had three scholarships — studied pharmacy without spending a penny.
Ogita Austin: Wow. That’s amazing. Are you still involved in pharmacy?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes. In 2019, UNECA invited me to join a project under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area to improve pharmaceutical trade and regulation across Africa. We’re piloting pooled procurement for 10 countries — creating a platform for data and medicine regulation. That’s what I’m doing now.
Ogita Austin: That’s a major contribution. How would you summarize the evolution of pharmacy regulation?
Dr. Kamamia: We operate under the Pharmacy and Poisons Act (Cap 244). In 1992, the government deregulated trade by removing “Chapter 2A” — against my advice. That opened the door to traders and untrained personnel, leading to counterfeit and substandard drugs. We lost the professional hierarchy — manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacists. I wanted exclusion zones to limit how close pharmacies could operate. I also proposed unifying pharmacy training — elevate technologists through extra training, register them as pharmacists, and phase out KMTC’s pharmacy programs in favor of university-level pharmacy.
Ogita Austin: You've mentioned your impact — locally, regionally, and internationally. Is there something you wish you’d achieved but didn’t?
Dr. Kamamia: Yes. I wanted the University of Nairobi to start a course in pharmaceutical manufacturing — covering raw materials and plant-based ingredients like acacia gum and starch. I also pushed for Mount Kenya University to do the same. We had plans with UNIDO to train students from across Africa — I had even secured machinery from a local factory. Also, the Psychotropic Substances Act I created in 1994 still lacks the accompanying rules to enforce it. One rule would’ve allowed us to confiscate assets of drug traffickers to rehabilitate victims. That still needs to be done.
Ogita Austin: Your vision for pharmacy in the next 50 years?
Dr. Kamamia: Let’s be self-sufficient — manufacture our own medicines, do research. Start by making generics after patents expire, like Pfizer’s. Eventually, we should do our own drug and vaccine research. Kenya must stop being international beggars — we need dignity, we need to stand on our own.
Ogita Austin: How do you think this vision can be realized?
Dr. Kamamia: People need to reflect on what I’ve said, and use me as an example. I stayed in government to build the sector while others chased big money in industry. I remember begging colleagues not to leave until we stabilized the system — but many did, and the impact was felt. You can’t expect outsiders like the World Bank to act in our interest. They’re here for their own benefit. We must help ourselves.
Ogita Austin: You’ve trained so many at UoN and seen the journey from the beginning. What message do you have for the School of Pharmacy on its 50th anniversary?
Dr. Kamamia: To the University of Nairobi School of Pharmacy — I’ve been with you since the days of Prof. Maitai, Prof. Guantai, Prof. Muriuki, Prof. Mwangi. You’ve done an excellent job training pharmacists and protecting the nation’s health. Congratulations on your 50 years of service.
Ogita Austin: Thank you so much, Dr. Kamamia. It’s been lovely hearing your story and your passion. We're grateful for your time.
